Seòmar agus comataidhean

All valid claims under Part 1 of The Land Compensation (Scotland) Act 1973 submitted to Transport Scotland in respect of the Queensferry Crossing have been passed to the Valuation Office Agency to negotiate the level of compensation due with the claimants’ appointed agents. As soon as Transport Scotland receive the reports from the Valuation Office Agency, payments will be forthcoming as has already been done in a number of cases.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-31641 on 5 December 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% (R100) programme is delivered through three key strands of activity – the over £600 million R100 contracts (North, Central and South), the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (R100 SBVS) and continued commercial coverage which includes emerging technologies such as Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connections.

Our address checker at www.scotlandsuperfast.com shows the most recent digital connectivity plans and timescales for residential and business properties across Scotland that are scheduled to receive an improved broadband connection via the R100 contracts. It is not possible to show digital connectivity timescales for the R100 SBVS as this is a demand-led scheme, which means it is up to eligible property owners or residents to decide whether they wish to secure a connection in this way.

As outlined in Table 4.12 of the Scottish Budget, on a like with like basis, the Local Government Settlement will be £15,035.2 million following the conclusion of the Spring Budget Revision 2025-26 compared with £14,027.1 million following the conclusion of the Spring Budget Revision 2024-25. It is therefore estimated that the difference in local government funding provided in 2024-25 and 2025-26 will be £1,008.1 million.

As with all previous years, any unanticipated transfers in year will also be given effect at the relevant budget revision and processed in the Local Government Finance Order 2026-27.

The Scottish Government relies on independent forecasts produced by the Scottish Fiscal Commission in arriving at policy decisions on Income Tax. These forecasts include the impact of any possible behaviour change that may result from policy decisions.

The impact of Income Tax policy decisions taken at the 2025-26 Scottish Budget on taxpayers and households is presented in the following publications:

• Scottish Income Tax Factsheet: Income Tax Policy Proposal: Scottish Budget 2025-26 - Scottish Income Tax 2025 to 2026: factsheet - gov.scot
• Distributional analysis of the Scottish Budget: Scottish Budget 2025 to 2026: distributional analysis of the Scottish Budget - gov.scot

Regarding consultation, in advance of the Scottish Budget, the Scottish Government conducts annual research on public attitudes to tax.

This research also includes information on where people find information on tax and their knowledge of the tax system. The information which has been collected is available online: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-budget-2025-26-pre-budget-engagement-summary/pages/1/

This year, we also conducted a broad programme of business engagement on tax policy, used to inform the Tax Strategy, which gave businesses the opportunity to express their views regarding behavioural responses to Scottish Income Tax policy.

No specific economic impact assessment has been carried out in relation to closures of the Queensferry Crossing due to the risk of falling ice. A range of estimates exist for the daily impact of the Queensferry Crossing being closed but vary depending on whether the closure is known in advance and there is no clear linear relationship between short and longer closures.

Decisions on non-domestic rates for 2026-27 will be considered in the context of the Scottish Budget 2026-27.

The Scottish Budget 2025-26 announced a new 40% relief for hospitality premises, including grassroots music venues with a capacity of up to 1,500, which have a rateable value of up to £51,000, capped at £51,000 per business. Following the passage of the budget, the Scottish Government will update the MyGov website setting out the non-domestic rates reliefs available to provide information to applicants on this new relief.

We do not currently have an overarching mechanism to record where restoration is taking place across Scotland. Not all restoration projects require a marine license, and the patchwork of other consents and licenses needed by restoration projects does not provide a coherent overview of restoration activity in a centrally held database. The registration process for restoration projects we consulted on earlier this year was intended as a first step to improve our understanding in this regard. We will continue to explore the feasibility of such a process as part of the development of the restoration plan.

As Scottish Ministers are not directly responsible for the operation of SEPA and its use of resources, I have asked Nicole Paterson, Chief Executive of SEPA to respond. Her response is as follows:

Continued Availability of Service:

SEPA’s 24-hour availability to the Scottish public remains fully in place, ensuring that we provide critical support for Scotland’s communities and environment. Where appropriate, this includes direct access to a SEPA employee to ensure a timely and effective response. Additionally, we are introducing new ways for customers to contact us, giving them options that best suit their preferences. This includes becoming a true multi-channel service, enabling access through various platforms to enhance the customer experience and better meet modern communication needs.

Role of the Automated System:

Our automated system is designed to handle minor, non-urgent matters digitally, either online or through our intelligent IVR system. This ensures these lower-priority issues are managed efficiently without impacting our ability to respond to significant events. Any significant incidents reported are immediately escalated to individuals who are available 24/7 across the country to respond, investigate, and take necessary action.

Human Response to Significant Incidents:

For all significant environmental incidents, any communication reporting a major event, regardless of the time, will be sent directly to a member of our team. This ensures the appropriate action is taken promptly and effectively.

Support for Priority Partners:

SEPA remains committed to supporting Priority Partners, including MSPs, emergency services, and specific businesses. These partners will always have direct access to human assistance for significant environmental events, ensuring smooth communication and rapid action when necessary.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-32136 on 18 December 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.